Easel



W; A. BULKLEY.

. EASEL.

N0. 376,852.. Patented Jan. 24, 1888'.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR A T TOR/VB Y UNITED STATES PATENT Darren,

WILLIAM ALEXANDER BULKLEY, QFYPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA;

- EEASELQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent No. 376,852, dated January 24, 1888. w

' Application filed June 21, 1887. Serial No. 241,982. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM ALEXANDER BULKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Easels,

of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 1s a perspective of an easel or tripod stand open or unfolded, showing myimprovements. Fig. 2-is an elevation of same folded.

Fig. 3 is arear' view of the upper portion of the easel drawn to an enlarged scale, showing "more plainly the hinged or pivotal connection for the side legs; and Fig. 4 is a perspective showing thelfolding locking connection for the hinged section of the middle leg and for the side legs. V

Myinvention has relation to folding or other easel or tripod frames .for pictures or other articles; and it has for'its object to so construct them that they can easily and quickly be folded and opened, and when opened their legs are securely locked together and firmly maintained in position, so that one or more of them cannot be accidental ly jarred or moved out of its position to dislodge the picture or otherarticle v resting or held upon the frame, nor can the latter itself be correspondingly upset.

My invention accordingly consists of the combination, construction, and arrangement -formed on the other section, and to a bar hinged to the lower section of the center leg and having a forward hinged end or section pivoted to the center pivotal connection for the sections of the crossbar, whereby said bars, when opened, form a T- shaped locked bar connecting the center and side legs, the looking of said bar being automatically effected as the frame.

the easel or frame is opened and is correspond ingly unlocked when the. frame is closed. p

In the drawings, A represents the easel or tripod frame, of any, suitable design, composed, preferably,of a center leg, B,and of upper short section, b, and a long lower section,

side legs, 0 O. The leg B is composedof an b, hinged together at b in any suitable manner, so that when the frame is unfolded the section b will project rearwardly from theuppersection, b, to give the-necessary pitch to Upon the rear side of section bis secured a clip or strap, D, of metal or other suitable material, and to the ends (lot which are pivoted,in any suitable manner, as shown .at d, the upper extremities, c, of thesidelegs,

O O. The inner sides of the ends a are suitablybeveled,as indicated at c, to admit of the legs 0 O spreading apart andfolding together, as

illustrated, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2.

" E represents a cross-bar composed of sec tions e and 'e-,pivoted together ate at or near thecenter of bar E, and at their ends are pivoted to the side legs, G C. One of the sectionspreferably the'section e-*is provided with a projecting or extended end,e, at the mid.

dle of the bar E, which end is formed into or provided with a latch, catch, or hook, e, to fit into an eye or keeper, 6, struck up or formed on or secured to section e,when bar E or frame A is opened, as shown in Fig. 1, and thereby limit the extent of spread of the legs 0 C. Hinged to the lower section, b, of leg B is a bar, F, having at its forward end-a-hinged section, f, which is pivoted or loosely connected to the center pivot, e, for the sections 0 e' of bar E, so that when the frame A is opened the bar F limits the rearward movement of the section b'ofleg' VB and determines the pitch orangle' for the frame A'. When the latter is opened, the hinged section f of the bar F is in an uprightposition, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and, in conjunction with the bar E, it forms a T-shaped bar, G, which is composed of jointed or hinged sections, as above described,- and connects the center and outerlegs of frame A together, and as the sections of bar G are locked, when opened by the catche and keeper 6 on the sections of bar E, the legs of frame'A are firmly held in position, so that one or more of them cannot be accidentallyjarred or moved out of position independently of the others. The picture or other article on the frame therefore cannot readily be accidentally displaced, nor can the frame A be correspondingly upset.

In opening the frame A,tl1e latch or catch e automatically falls or fits into keeper 6 and in closing the frame the sections 6 e of bar E are simply raised or elevated at the center of the bar, the hinged sectionf on bar F admitting of this elevation, and this movement or action unlocks the sections e and e and draws them and the legs B and G 0 together until they assume the compact position shown in Fig. 2,

and when folded a suitable pivoted locking-.

lever, H, on leg B, fitting or engaging with pins or studs h on legs 0 O, is provided to maintain the frame in its closed position.

The locking device on the sections e'and 6', it will be noticed in the drawings, is so con strncted that it acts automatically when the frame A is opened and correspondingly so when closed; but I do not limit myself thereto, as it may be otherwise provided for.

The easel is provided with suitable pinholes, 1', or other means for supporting the article to be held upon the same.

1. An easel-frame having its central and outside legs connected by a T-shaped bar, G, 0

'with a lock or fastening device, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of leg B, having upper and lower hinged sections, 1) and b, the legs 0 O, pivoted to section b, or a clip secured thereto, the sectional bar E, composed of pivoted sections 6 and 6, provided with a lock or fastening device, and bar F, having hinged section f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An easel-frame having its central and outside legs connected by a jointed T-shaped bar, G, composed of sections pivoted together and hinged or pivoted to the center and outside legs, and provided with an automaticallyacting lock or fastening device for holding the legs of the easel in an open or extended position, in combination with a separate catch, H, for locking the legs in their folded position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM ALEXANDER BULKLEY.

\Vitnesses:

S. J. VAN STAVOREN, Cans. F. VAN HORN. 

